Might almost think an election is looming.....

LE

PM to offer housing aid and job training in bid to win support over Afghan war

"In an unprecedented move that reflects deepening anxiety in government about low morale among soldiers' relatives, the prime minister has invited 80 members of forces families, including wives and grandparents of serving soldiers, to Downing Street this week for a private reception to discuss their concerns"

See: he cares. He really, really does care. So much so that he is not going to be there:

"Brown had been due to attend the Downing Street reception but has asked his wife Sarah to do so as he has to attend a special summit in Brussels to choose the first permanent president of the European Council. , will attempt to shore up support for the Afghanistan campaign during his address at the lord mayor's banquet."

LE

PM to offer housing aid and job training in bid to win support over Afghan war

"In an unprecedented move that reflects deepening anxiety in government about low morale among soldiers' relatives, the prime minister has invited 80 members of forces families, including wives and grandparents of serving soldiers, to Downing Street this week for a private reception to discuss their concerns"

See: he cares. He really, really does care. So much so that he is not going to be there:

"Brown had been due to attend the Downing Street reception but has asked his wife Sarah to do so as he has to attend a special summit in Brussels to choose the first permanent president of the European Council. , will attempt to shore up support for the Afghanistan campaign during his address at the lord mayor's banquet."

Note the discrepancy between headline and what was actually proposed in the article.'Discuss their concerns' is a long way from delivery, (even if he hadn't deputised his (non-office holding) missus).

Anyway, doing something would not only go against all his instincts, but would be seen as 'positive discrimination' in favour of uniformed neo Nazi baby eaters, so would not pass either the in house legal departments, or the Guardian editorial test.

"You are a Racist and a Xenophobe" KGB Resident. (Professional liar and apologist for mass murder.)

I appreciate that Mrs Brown is probably a far, far better human than he is. And has previous Army experience But she isn't even an unelected minister! If he had to run away to his masters in Brussels, what about deputising one of the elected non-entities Rammell or Jones?